Preview: Columbia Lions at Yale Bulldogs NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Interstat) — A study in Ivy League contrasts will unfold Friday night when the surging Columbia Lions visit the struggling Yale Bulldogs in a women’s basketball matchup at Payne Whitney Gymnasium. Columbia (18-6 overall) enters as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won seven of its last eight games. The Lions are coming off a dominant 81-42 road victory at Dartmouth last Saturday, where guard Mia Broom scored 16 points and dished out seven assists. Broom has been a key facilitator during the Lions’ run, averaging 6.0 assists over her last three contests. Yale (6-18) seeks to halt a three-game skid, most recently a 68-52 loss at Penn. The Bulldogs have relied heavily on the all-around play of guard Kiley Capstraw, who recorded a 12-rebound, 6-assist performance in that defeat. Capstraw posted a triple-double threat of 14 points, six rebounds and six assists in Yale’s last win, an 82-54 rout of Dartmouth on Feb. 14. The teams met just over a month ago in New York, with Columbia securing a decisive 85-58 victory on Jan. 17. The Lions have not lost since, while Yale has managed only one conference win in that span. Columbia’s offense, which has averaged 75.4 points during its current 7-1 stretch, will test a Yale defense that has allowed 68.3 points per game in Ivy League play. Beyond Broom, Columbia boasts balanced scoring, as seen in the Dartmouth win where Riley Weiss added 20 points. For Yale to challenge, it will need Capstraw to control the tempo and find scoring support from teammates like Luisa Vydrova and Ciniya Moore, who combined for 30 points against Penn. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST Friday. Columbia visits Brown on Saturday, while Yale hosts Cornell.